Bra boss Michelle’s top award

Jul 1 2009 by Graham Mann, East Kilbride News

LINGERIE queen Michelle Mone picked up the ‘Retailer of the Year 2009’ title at the Scottish Fashion Awards.

The creator of the UK’s leading designer lingerie brand, Ultimo, collected the prize at a glittering ceremony in the Great Hall at Stirling Castle.

The East Kilbride-based company beat off stiff competition and was awarded the prize by the panel, which included Brigitte Stepputtis, head of couture at Vivienne Westwood, Supermodel Kirsty Hume and Kate Phelan, fashion director of Vogue.

Michelle, of Thorntonhall, said: “I’m thoroughly delighted to have been named Retailer of the Year 2009. Ultimo continues to go from strength-to-strength, so it’s brilliant to be recognised by Scotland and the fashion world.

“As a retailer, we strive to deliver the very best product, in terms of designer style and unrivalled fit, and at the right price for our customer – so I’m really proud Ultimo has been rewarded for this, it’s a great feeling.

“We have exciting plans for the rest of the year to continue to roll out our ‘shop in shop’ concept to more Debenhams stores across the UK, so hopefully we’ll be here again next year.”

Ultimo, which launched in 1999 with the famous ‘Ultimo Plunge Bra’ worn by Julia Roberts in Erin Brockovich, is now one of the UK’s most recognised lingerie brands, stocked ats 145 Debenhams stores across the UK and online at www.ultimo.co.uk.

In the past 12 months Michelle has opened a further 20 ‘shop in shops’ within Debenhams stores and also launched Miss Ultimo, a new lingerie brand for young women fronted by Peaches Geldof.